Gray can stay on County Council ballot

GREENFIELD — Jeannine Gray will be allowed to remain on the ballot for Hancock County Council District 1 after the county election board approved a petition Thursday to amend a mistake on one of her candidacy forms.

Gray, a Shirley resident, originally filed for District 2 on the first page of the required candidacy forms but had written District 1 in the remainder of the paperwork.

Gray said last week that prior to filing her paperwork, she called the election office and was told she lived in District 2. But when she went to file in the packed office just before the filing deadline, election workers told her she lived in District 1. The quick turnaround led Gray to inadvertently leave District 2 listed on one of her papers.

The election board, noting that Gray indicated the appropriate district on the rest of her paperwork, voted to allow Gray to remain on the District 1 ballot.

Gray is challenging District 1 incumbent Councilman John Jessup and Republican Monty Zapf. Jessup told election board officials he would not challenge Gray’s petition and would support whatever decision the election board made.

District 1 covers rural portions of the community, including most of Hancock County’s northern and eastern townships.